There have been a lot of things I've turned to over the past 2 years to help "take the edge off" of what seems like an increasingly chaotic world.
Now, not all of them have been healthy - like working 14 hour days because you now live where you work - but some have been a godsend. And one of the biggest has been Comedy.
Movies, T.V. Shows, Standup, hell, I even know how to watch TikTok videos now...as long as my sons send me the link.
And while I'm always thankful for the end product, like a lot of things in our fast-paced culture, I don't often stop to think about 'how the sausage gets made'.
That's why I was beyond excited to welcome the amazingly talented James Perry to the show this week.
James graduated with a mechanical engineering degree from BYU nearly a decade ago, but perhaps his most notable contribution to his alma-mater was as an actor and writer for the sketch comedy series Studio C.
In 2017 he returned to Brigham Young to deliver a phenomenal TedTalk about how we all need to get a little more comfortable stumbling into our purpose.
He went on to write the book, I Still Want To Be An Astronaut: Living Your Dream When You Dream Too Much.
Over the years, James has been a software engineer, author, actor, producer, and as of 2019, one of the cofounders of J/K studios which produces some of the best original comedy I’ve seen in a while, including the series The Freelancers, which is now entering its Second season.
We discussed how comedy informs and enriches our lives in ways you might not imagine, the importance of saying, "Yes, and..." when collaborating with others, and the perks and pitfalls of being a middle-child.
It was a perfect mix of laughter and reflection.
Enjoy the show!
SHOWNOTES:
Connect with James on LinkedIn
James' recommended book Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World